


As If By Magic

by yukiscorpio



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Igtober (Final Fantasy XV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:36:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27148141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukiscorpio/pseuds/yukiscorpio
Summary: Fate could be changed, destiny could be rewritten. Ignis might be powerless, but he could advise. That was his job, and he was rather good at it.For Igtober 2020, day 20 prompt: magic
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	As If By Magic

Ignis's entire mouth felt sore, and heavy, and tight. His teeth felt clumsy — how could _teeth_ feel clumsy? — and although the orthodontist said time and again that his braces were made of some kind of new, miracle plastic, Ignis could swear he could taste metal in his mouth. Then he wondered if he was bleeding, maybe he had cut his tongue on the braces without knowing, since everything was painful anyway. The stories always said blood tasted like copper, right?

Stopping outside the training chamber, Ignis checked the state of his mouth using his mobile phone camera, in case he scared the future king with a bloodied mouth, before ringing the bell. Then he waited until Mr Amicitia told him to enter.

Today was Noctis's assessment day, to check if he was showing signs of the Caelum powers, which was why Ignis had to wait outside, just in case a bit of stray magic came flying. It was also for the purposes of refreshing Noctis's knowledge on self defence, how to identify the allegiance of his attackers, how to act if he was taken hostage, et cetera et cetera.

These ideas would sound insane for other nine-year-olds. But Noctis was the Crown Prince, so...

No, Ignis thought. It was still insane, even for someone like Noctis.

"Ignis!" Noctis ran over, and Ignis smiled. As if detecting that something was different, Noctis peered at him. "You got the braces?"

Ignis pulled his lips back for Noctis to see the milky white plastic that had been glued onto his teeth since this morning. As Noctis stared in wonder, Mr Amicitia also came over.

"Ignis."

"Mr Amicitia, good afternoon," Ignis replied, hating how he sounded like he had a swollen tongue.

"We're done today. No changes, but if you spot anything, let one of us know," said Mr Amicitia with a pat on the shoulder for Ignis, and then a smile for Noctis. "Not that we're expecting you to have magic so soon; your father didn't show any signs until he was 17, your grandfather I think 15. Don't worry too much about it, hm?"

Noctis nodded, then tugged on Ignis's sleeve, and they headed out. Unlike Mr Leonis, Mr Amiticia had a way with children, but Noctis had been hoping it would be his father who would train him today, and there was nothing Mr Amiticia could do to make things better, really.

It was piano lesson next, one that Ignis shared with Noctis. Piano lessons were always fun, strict though their tutor was, a mean old lady who was never impressed whether they practised for two hours or twenty. But today Ignis could not summon the enthusiasm nor the concentration required, not with his teeth being pulled in all directions. Even the tutor was concerned. But Ignis stubbornly didn't mention that he was in pain, and soldiered on.

The kitchens found out though, somehow, so supper was soup. It helped, though only somewhat — temperature made things hurt as well, it turned out.

Finally, Ignis and Noctis were permitted to go back to Noctis's rooms, where Ignis was expected to help Noctis with his homework, and they were allowed to play a little before going to bed. Noctis's latest obsession were frogs, and Ignis's were fairy tales, many of which were apparently horrible or even terrifying, and were "sanitised" for the modern day. So they spent the evening searching for gruesome fairy tales that featured frogs on Ignis's phone, which had a child filter that Ignis had worked around since a long time ago.

His phone, and Noctis's too, also had a "panic button" that would summon crownsguards to their aid. Not something regular children would need but again, they were not regular children. The only thing that was "normal" in Ignis's life right now was the extra plastic in his mouth; quite a lot of kids have these, although most of them were slightly older than him.

"Would they have frogs that have braces?"

"Frogs don't even have teeth..." Ignis began saying, but he started to doubt himself and quickly ran a search, "...or maybe they do. But I'm quite sure orthodontics haven't been invented yet when they wrote the stories."

"It'd be so cool though."

"Cool?"

"Yes! Like you, you're all bionic now! I want braces too!"

Ignis couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't bionics. This is just to make my teeth straighter, and they're not comfortable."

On the bed, Noctis sat up a bit better. "They are not?"

"Definitely not. They gave me soup at supper because it's too painful for me to chew right now. You don't want braces, Prince Noctis, especially if you don't even need them."

Shocked, Noctis's eyes widened. "They hurt?"

"Very much."

"I thought they were really cool! I'm sorry that they hurt," said Noctis, who seemed genuinely apologetic, as if any of it was his fault. Shifting so that he was kneeling, he lifted his hand, not quite daring to touch Ignis's jaw. "Where does it hurt? Is it the teeth? Or your mouth? Is it going to be like this until you take them off? I hope they will stop hurting you soon!"

It was probably wrong for him to think this way, since he was only a little bit older than Noctis, but Ignis thought the reaction was truly adorable. "Well, the dentist said it'll get better—"

The pain suddenly lifted.

Taken by surprise, Ignis gasped, and nearly slipped off the edge of the bed, where he was sitting. With a hand, he cupped his cheek and jaw. It felt unusually warm.

"Prince Noctis?"

"Huh?"

With his tongue, Ignis checked his teeth and gums. They felt so much better than literally just seconds ago. Noctis did this. He must have just done it with magic without knowing. Ignis must tell someone.

That could wait though. Right now, it was time to encourage Noctis to go to bed.

But then, unexpectedly, the King showed up to tuck his son into bed himself, so while Noctis brushed his teeth, Ignis told the King about what had happened.

King Regis was a severe looking man, but that air of strict seriousness was fading, the way it always did whenever he saw his son. And right now, he didn't look like the King of Lucis, but a proud father.

"He did?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Ignis. The ache in his mouth was returning, but it felt much more tolerable than before. "He isn't aware of it yet."

"Good. Thank you, Ignis. You are getting quite good at your job." King Regis exhaled deeply, his smile quite wide. "I should have guessed."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I should have guessed that healing is the magic that comes to him first, without even being taught. Ha, Clarus is going to be so annoyed."

Ignis wasn't sure if the King was joking. "Is this bad, Your Majesty?"

"No. It is what it is." King Regis shook his head, now looking melancholy for reasons Ignis could not fathom. "My son's first magical instinct is to give help, to heal. It is what it is."

* * *

* * *

* * *

It was taking time to get used to being blind, time that Ignis could not afford. He could not fight, could not judge distances at all, could not style his hair, could not even pour his own coffee.

But he could still recognise the pattern of footsteps.

Ignis contemplated getting up, but Noctis closed the door so gently it made him reconsider. This was perhaps the first time Noctis left his hotel room since...

In bed, Ignis stayed as still as he could. He heard a faint rustle, then a distinct crack, which was followed by the unmistakable warmth of magical elixir. It wasn't going to work, but he let Noctis try; it seemed easier this way than to tell him no. Noctis had to see it for himself. And if Noctis wanted to try in the quiet of the night, without anyone knowing, then Ignis could give him that.

Nothing changed, Ignis didn't need to try to open his eyes to know. The scarred flesh on his face did not even tingle. If he could tell Noctis honestly about how he received these injuries and therefore why they could never be healed, then Noctis would know better than to waste his efforts, but Ignis did not have the heart to tell him that it was in fact his ancestors who—

Another wave of warmth, different from earlier, strange yet unbelievably familiar. Then it happened again. And again. And again...

Suddenly Ignis knew what this was.

"Noct." In the dark, he caught the hand that was hovering somewhere over his face. The healing magic stuttered, then continued, determined, or stubborn, or perhaps simply desperate. He began to sit up. "Noct. It won't... You should rest and conserve your magic."

No reply. Ignis considered joking that Noctis needed to vocalise his response because Ignis could not see, but thought the better of it.

Instead, he squeezed Noctis's hand. "You'll wear yourself out."

"Just... shut up..." finally Noctis said, his voice unsteady, "and let me try."

With a start, Ignis let go. He couldn't fight or argue, not when there were tears in Noctis's voice.

This form of direct, raw magic was something Noctis rarely used nowadays. Healing magic now came bottled, making it transferrable and rendering physical proximity unnecessary.

Noctis's first magical instinct was to heal, not to fight, not even to defend himself. Fighting never came naturally to him, proficient though he had become. But he would fight for the chance to heal the Starscourge, he would fight for the chance to die for this wretched world, one of the Messengers had shown this to Ignis with her dying breath.

And this memory of the future was sealed within his sightless eyes. He was merely human, the Kings of Old had made sure he understood that when he put on that Ring. Merely human, with no power to change what the Gods had—

A heat that suddenly radiated throughout his skin halted that train of thought, and the soft thud beside him made him gasp.

"Noct?"

No answer. Noctis must have gone into stasis from magic deficit. Ignis sat up better and then swung his legs off the bed carefully, trying not to step on Noctis in the process. If he went about it slowly, perhaps he could somehow get Noctis to rest on the bed without causing even more issues...

Or he could just open his eyes and he could see where Noctis was slumped on the floor.

He could see!

A thousand thoughts whirled through his mind as he slid off the bed and lifted Noctis onto it. Then he used the other elixir Noctis brought with him, letting it replenish a bit of Noctis's magic, but that barely had any effects. It was only on the third bottle, after Ignis pulled out the ones stashed in his own belongings, that colour returned to Noctis's face.

It was when Noctis began to stir that Ignis let the gravity of what had just transpired hit him. Noctis's instinct was always to heal. He would do anything, give anything for it. And he had just done the impossible, returning Ignis's eyesight to him when it was not injury, but a payment for loaned power, and a thing that was scripted by the Gods to happen.

"Ignis?"

"I'm here."

Noctis's eyes flew open, glossy with tears. "This wasn't meant to happen. I'm sorry you've been hurt. I'm so sorry."

On the contrary, Ignis thought. But what truly wasn't meant to happen had just happened:

"I can see, Noct."

"What?"

"I think you have just fixed my eyes. Thank you."

The words made Noctis bolt up, nearly hitting his head on Ignis's. They stifled their confused laughter, and Noctis held up his hand and tentatively stuck out his thumb.

Ignis copied the thumbs-up.

Noctis's shoulders sagged, and he smiled. He seemed exhausted from everything that had led up to this point, but the curl of his lips was genuine, and Ignis found himself smiling back in relief.

"And now that I can see — look at the state of you. Have those two not done the laundry while I recuperated?"

Noctis shrugged a little, trying to look unbothered. "I've not paid attention but I bet they haven't."

"I think so as well." Ignis sat himself down on the edge of the bed. "Noct, there is something I need to tell you about: Pryna gave me a vision..."

Ignis was an ordinary human, of ordinary blood, but Noctis was more than that, and he had just changed fate itself by mending Ignis's eyes.

Fate could be changed, destiny could be rewritten. Ignis might be powerless, but he could advise. That was his job, and he was rather good at it.

* * *

* * *

* * *

"'Too young to be King'?" Gladio read the headline on the newspaper out loud, then tossed it aside. "Who writes this rag?"

Prompto cackled. "They can say whatever they want, it's not like they get to choose who's king."

"They _can't_ just say whatever they want, this is disrespectful!"

"And since when have you shown respect to our king, Gladio?" Ignis quipped, making Gladio stutter for a moment. "Though, while I accept that people have no idea about the true extent of what's been done, they do know that Noct has defeated Niflheim and brought peace. One would've thought they would be more grateful."

Emerging from the hotel room behind them, the 114th King of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum, adjusted his baseball cap.

"If I was stuck in the Crystal for ten years and came out all grizzly maybe I'd look more kingly to them, but no thanks."

Gladio laughed. "No way. You can barely grow a hair on that chin!"

"It's what Ignis told me."

When eyes turned to him, Ignis just shrugged.

Prompto scratched the back of his neck. "So what's the plan?"

"I'm going fishing," said Noctis, as if his attire hadn't made it obvious.

"I'm getting a massage," said Gladio.

Ignis rubbed his chin. "I think I'll check out the restaurant."

"That's what you're doing? Come on," Prompto huffed. "This is Galdin Quay! Top spot for romance!"

"Do you really want to spend a romantic weekend with the three of us, Prompto?"

"Uh... no."

"Then find something to do, and don't judge."

They went their separate ways, but Noctis caught Ignis by the arm.

"Is this really okay? To not be in Insomnia?"

Ignis tipped his head to one side. This was the trip that Noctis wanted — to fish, by himself. To spend some time alone. The man who saved the world had yet to mourn those he had lost, to reflect and to heal, himself.

"For a little while, yes. And the Vannath Coast is part of your kingdom as well; it is prudent that you personally inspect what kind of bounty it has to offer."

A smirk. "Thanks, advisor."

Ignis bowed a little. "Your Majesty."

The smirk grew wider, then Noctis was off, all but running towards one of the popular fishing spots.

True to his word, Ignis spent a while at the restaurant, perused the new menu — a dish in honour of the new King of Lucis, hmm — sampled a few things, said hello to a few old faces, took a long walk along the beach, then finally judged it to be the right time to find Noctis at the jetty.

"Specs! Perfect timing! Help me bring this up?"

Unlike during their long journey, this time Ignis came prepared — he summoned for the fishing net he had snuck into the little armiger space he borrowed, and hauled out the catch without having to jump into the water.

Immediately Noctis crouched down to inspect his catch. "Nice! Thanks. I was literally just thinking, wish I could get some help. Then here you are."

Ignis smiled. "Glad to help."

"Really though, whenever I need you, you'd appear," said Noctis, adding, with a cheeky grin directed upwards at Ignis, "as if by magic."

Ignis adjusted his glasses. "When it comes to magic, I am nothing compared with you."

Noctis raised both his eyebrows, and his grin softened into a knowing smile.

"Nah. You've got plenty of magic of your own, you just don't know it."


End file.
